A month ago today, I wrote about John McCain’s YouTube problem. New media tools allow ordinary Americans to fact-check his factless speeches and to compare the “new” McCain to the “old” McCain”:

McCain’s Achilles’ heel has always been his policy oscillations.  His limber “principles” allow him to sweep from one side of an issue to another; they are generally lauded as badges of maverickness in the press and recognized by the reality-based community  largely as panderiffic moments of Washington as usual. And until now, because the traditional media has refused to properly cover these flip-flops and distortions, McCain has been able to get away with saying one thing and doing another, or voting one way and soon thereafter voting another. But how will the real McCain — whiplash policy McCain — play out in 2008, where video and blogs will be able to juxtapose his stances and statements in such a manner that shatters the myth of McCain as an “honest broker”?

If there were any question, yesterday’s speech in New Orleans makes clear that McCain has another YouTube problem. In the digital era, Americans turn to the internet to receive information about their candidates.  It’s not enough to have a nice little soundbite quoted in the press.  No, the modern voter has the ability to seek out context and primary sources.